Manzanita Lake at UNR getting facelift, and new swans, in $7M project

By Siobhan McAndrew, Reno Gazette Journal 

The University of Nevada, Reno is upgrading Manzanita Lake and the adjacent grassy field with the goal of making the once hot spot on campus a bustling destination again.

A $7 million construction project includes structural and utility upgrades, but the lake and adjacent Manzanita Bowl are also getting facelifts with accessible walking paths, benches, a patio overlooking the lake and a student event plaza.

Eventually, swans will again call campus home when construction is complete.

The project is one UNR President Brian Sandoval is excited about. It is just outside his office in the Clark Administration Building and along Ninth and North Virginia streets.

“Manzanita Lake has always been one of the University of Nevada’s most storied and beautiful landmarks, a place where generations of students, faculty and visitors have paused to take in its calm and timeless charm,” Sandoval said.

Actor Jeremy Renner, who has a home just outside Reno, used Manzanita Lake as backdrop for a music video he wrote and shot with students in 2024.  The song was called, “Everything Changes.”

It was the site of a few movie scenes shot in the 1940s and 1950s, including “Apartment for Peggy,” with actors Jeanne Crain and William Holden, and “Mother is a Freshman,“ starring Loretta Young.

Manzanita Lake is 114 years old

According to the Nevada Historical Society, the Manzanita Bowl and Lake were officially dedicated on Nov. 25, 1911. The man-made lake was formed by damming the Orr Irrigation Ditch.

When the area was developed more than 100 years ago, Manzanita Lake was a recreation spot for ice skating, swimming and boating. UNR isn’t planning on bringing back water activities — the lake rarely freezes over — but it does plan to bring back that kind of energy to what was a campus hot spot.

Its location, across the street from UNR’s new Tulloch Business Building, is part of the push by the college to integrate the campus into downtown Reno. It follows UNR’s investment in University Village just a few blocks away, the 2.29-acre development with 15 single-family homes and 19 multifamily unit for staff, faculty and graduate students.

Honoring legacy of Manzanita Lake and Bowl

Sandoval said the construction, expected to be finished in fall 2026, is about more than structural repairs.

“It represents a renewed commitment to honoring that legacy,” he said.

Sandoval said UNR is making sure Manzanita Lake can be experienced by more people, including those with disabilities.

“These upgrades will help the lake reach its true potential as a vibrant, inviting space that continues to inspire connection, reflection and community for generations to come,” Sandoval said.

New swans planned for UNR campus again

Some of the future guests to enjoy the upgrades will be new swans.

“This project is a precursor to getting swans for the lake,” UNR said in a statement to the RGJ.

Once a staple on campus, swans have long called Manzanita Lake home. According to reports in the Nevada State Journal, swans called UNR home since the 1920s.

Earlier this year, UNR launched an investigation into the death Zeus, the last swan living on campus.  Zeus and his mate Athena, who died a few years ago, were campus residents for decades.

Despite rumors of foul play, the investigation found Zeus died of natural causes.

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect